AAP volunteer posts addicts’ pictures on Facebook, families fume

This comes four days after the district unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) started a campaign against drug addiction by asking its volunteers to collect data on drug victims and de-addiction centres at a thanksgiving meeting in Mansa.

As a part of its campaign, Mansa candidate Nazar Singh Manshahia visited two de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in the district and met the patients on Thursday.(Facebook)

The kin of drug addicts were left disappointed after their photographs with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Nazar Singh Manshahia were uploaded on social media here on Friday.

This comes four days after the district unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) started a campaign against drug addiction by asking its volunteers to collect data on drug victims and de-addiction centres at a thanksgiving meeting in Mansa.

The party volunteers have been given a rehabilitation form, in which the personal details of the patient and his/ her addiction history has to be filled. They have been given seven days to collect the data on drug addicts.

As a part of its campaign, Mansa candidate Nazar Singh Manshahia visited two de-addiction and rehabilitation centres in the district and met the patients on Thursday.

Later, an AAP volunteer uploaded the pictures of the meeting in which the identity of the victims can be established.

“We met them without having a thought that it will come over the social media. It is anyway such a trauma for us and having the photographs uploaded on social media has only added insult to the injury,” said kin of an addict admitted in the de-addiction centre near Khyala Kalan village.

Another addict, whose photo is uploaded on Facebook, laments having met the leader. “Many of my relatives are not aware of my condition. I think within no time, the news will spread to everyone just because I happen to meet this leader,” said the patient in the rehabilitation centre in Mansa.

When contacted, Nazar Singh Manshahia said the photographs have been uploaded by his social media team without any mala fide intention.

“I think that we never had any mala fide intention behind this meeting or uploading the pictures. The issue should not be blown out of proportion,” he said.

AAP MP Bhagwant Mann had said recently that their survey will ensure that the identity of addicts is not compromised. The chief medical officer (CMO) Renu Sood said photography within the de-addiction premises is not permissible and a proper report will be sought regarding this.